Wind down help

[Serenity]

I am still having an issue with my son.  He's almost 8 1/2 months and when we started implementing wind down for naps, he did very well.  As soon as we walked into his room when we started the routine of lullaby music and rocking he'd be alseep and ready to be put in his crib within 5 mins.  He'd nod off while rocking and while he was still awake but falling fast, I'd lay him in his crib and he'd fall asleep.  Now I still do the same routine but he resists sitting in the chair and being rocked.  He always tries to grab at my hair and plays with his pacifier by pulling it out and putting it back in.  After a while of this and no signs of relaxing on his part, I get frustrated and just lay him in his crib.  He'll roll around and play with his paci more and fuss some.  I will admit that I usually have to go back in once to give him his pacifier and then he'll go to sleep.  I don't think I'd be able to lay him down and him go to sleep without the rocking, but it still frustrates me that he's fighting even wind down so hard.  any suggestions?

[andibig]

is it possible to look at your routine.i'm wondering if he is just not ready for his nap and needs more awake time and thats why he is fighting the winddown.

[Serenity]

8-wake up, change diaper, have breakfast
9:30-wind down
(whenever he does get to sleep he'll sleep for 1-2 hours)
12-eat
2-wind down
4-eat
6-evening routine of baby cereal, bath, bottle, rocking--usually goes to sleep very easily.
Is usually asleep by 7-8

[andibig]

well the length of his naps don't seem to be a problem .i think possibly he needs a little more awake time as his first nap starts 1.5 hrs after he has been up.most LOs can do a longer awake time at that age (obviously all LOs are different) so i think its just a case of starting his winddown a little later.
When you start his 9.30 am windown when does he evetually go to sleep?
i'd keep an eye on what times he is actually falling asleep and then adjust the timing of his winddown accordingly.
HTH

[Serenity]

Usually I'll rock him for 15 mins or so and there are still no signs of resting, so I'll lay him in his crib.  He'll fuss or cry and I'll usually go back in to give him his pacifier, and then after about another 5 mins he'll go to sleep.  Maybe he just finished wearing himself out with his crying?  I'd say all in all he finally goes to sleep around 10.  30 mins after initially trying.

[andibig]

hmm-30 mins isn't that long for a winddown (but long enough).DDs winddown was always very short in comparison to other LOs.
Have you tried putting him directly in the crib without the rocking?
I still think he needs a little more awake time you could try starting windown at 9.45.
just trying to throw a few ideas out here.